11-5 and monday 12-5. . >> thank you for being here. from my first day in office i said that public safety is my top priority. everything we're trying to achieve in this city depends on people feeling safe in our neighborhoods, at our businesses and on our streets and transit. and because of the hard work of the men and women of the san francisco police department and the leaders and partners standing with me today, we are making real progress.

citywide crime is down almost 30% in union square in the financial district. it is down close to 40%. violent crime has fallen to levels that we have not seen since the 1950s. through our rebuilding the ranks plan applications to join s.f. pd are up over 40% and lateral applications have more than doubled since last year. this progress does not happen by accident. it happens because this department is restoring pride across the rank and file. they are getting results and sending a message that the cpd is a place where you can build a meaningful and impactful career. we are tackling some of the toughest challenges facing our city including the open air drug markets that are feeding this fentanyl crisis and taking lives every day.

through the drug market agency coordination center. we've aligned city, state and federal law enforcement to get drugs off the street with a level of coordination. san francisco has never seen before. last month last month d. mac enforcement led to more than 80 drug sale arrests, over 20 pounds of narcotics seized and 25 illegal firearms recovered. operations included by us fugitive apprehensions and targeted deployments in the tenderloin, selma and the mission so far this year. d mac operations have led to more than 66,000 arrests for drug sales including 704 for drug possession. there is still so much work still to do but the city is moving in the right direction.

this progress is a testament to the work of every police officer walking the streets and so many other leaders here. but it hasn't been easy. when i took office the department was 500 officers short and on the cusp of a major transition transition at the highest levels. our task in this process wasn't just to find a new police chief. our task was to find the next generations of leaders to keep our city safe. today marks the beginning of a new era for this department and our city. i am proud to announce that i have appointed deputy chief derek lu as san francisco's new chief of police replacing

deputy chief lew has been shaped by this city. earning his stripes on the street and earning trust in communities across our city . he was born and raised in san francisco as the grandson of chinese immigrants who built and ran a small business in this city. he grew up understanding how strong safe neighborhoods allow families and local businesses to thrive. shortly after college, deputy chief lew came back to his hometown to serve. joining the academy in 2002 as a young patrol officer, he served at ingleside bayview and mission stations before joining the investigations bureau. gaining firsthand experience with complex challenges around guns, drugs and violent crime. as a sergeant he served at central station before moving

to the narcotics division where he was assigned to the atf task force and helped lead operation cold day a multiagency c everett targeting car theft, car burglaries, narcotics and illegal guns. after earning a promotion to lead, lieutenant deputy chief lew helped establish the department's crime gun investigation center focused on illegal firearm possession and trafficking. in 2022 he became captain of ingleside station and then was tapped to run dimock overseeing this overseeing the city's major enforcement operations against open air drug dealing. he played a direct role in the strategic expansion of dimock into the mission and coordinating city, state and federal partners. in may 2025, derrick liu was appointed deputy chief leading field operations overseeing

sfpd patrols at all ten district stations as well as dimock. in this role he stepped up once again coordinating across agencies serving as acting chief when needed and acting as a steady hand. through moments of national attention over two decades in the department, derek liu walked a beat, ran major operations, led complex investigations and built enduring partnerships across the city with a commitment to community policing. he is a decorated officer having been awarded the police medal of valor for his courage in the line of duty. >> derrick liu knows this city. he knows this department and he knows the communities we serve. since becoming mayor, i've seen deputy chief liu in action. i've seen him step up as a leader in this department and in this city. i've seen him take the most

complex public safety challenges we face as a city head on and i've seen him continue to earn the respect of both rank and file and the command staff. he works hard and he works with humility and he understands that we are at a critical moment in our city's history. he wants to be part of it. he wants to keep the people of our city safe. san francisco no. that would derrick lou. you will have a police chief who has the operational experience to continue to drive crime down. a police chief who has the respect inside the department to strengthen the culture, develop the next generation of leaders and inspire more people to become police officers. a police chief who has the relationships and the temperament to build trust between those officers and the

communities they serve. chief, thank you for stepping up to serve your city once again. i am confident that you will lead this department with integrity and a deep sense of responsibility to the people of san francisco. >> congratulations. >> now i'm almost done. sorry. none of this work succeeds without true alignment across without true alignment across our public safety departments and this group of public safety leaders behind me has been a model of partnership. district attorney brooke jenkins, sheriff paul miyamoto, city attorney david chiu, board president rafael mandelbaum and the board of supervisors fire chief dean chrisman emergency management executive director mary ellen carroll

and so many others behind me. thanks to all of you. we are in a new era of collaboration in government and we are delivering results for san franciscans. i also want to thank the police commission for their partnership over the past year. in addition to welcoming three new members to the commission, they have worked tirelessly under the leadership of commission president don clark to find a number of talented candidates. this is a new generation of leadership for the san francisco police department and a new chapter of public safety in san francisco. and before we enter that new chapter, i want to thank someone who has played a major role in writing the current chapter someone who has led the department with integrity, step, steadiness and a firm commitment to keeping san franciscans safe. interim chief paul yap proud.

>> i've asked a lot of you paul. chief yap came back to public service at a pivotal time as my chief of public safety and then interim police chief. he brought decades of experience credibility in the communities across the city and a calm, steady hands. through a period of major transition and progress, he focused the department around our priorities. mentoring rising leaders helping steer the demak expansion and built trust both inside the department and with the public. chief, you have kept your promise to keep this department on track and foster the next generation of leaders. and i'm grateful that you will continue to advising incoming chief lew the department and me through this transition. i want to thank you for your leadership, your friendship and your continued service to our city. now i'd like to introduce interim police chief paul yap.

>> good morning, everyone. thank you all for being here. i want to start by saying thank you to mayor daniel leary. his it's truly an honor to serve as the interim police chief in the best police department in the world in the best city in the world. so i want to thank you, mayor, for that opportunity. also i want to thank you for your trust and vision for this department and making public safety the city's number one priority. while we have work to do san francisco is safer and cleaner every day. and i'm confident we will continue this momentum. when the mayor told me that derrick lu would be the new chief of police, i was thrilled

. there are so many tremendously talented leaders in this department. but derrick lu has stood out as a truly exceptional talent. he spent his entire two decade plus career in the san francisco police department and demonstrated the professionalism and bravery of an exemplary police officer. incoming chief lu and i served the department at the same time and he he has always had a stellar reputation. he is respected and admired for his outstanding police work over the years as an officer. he worked some of the most dangerous assignments and faced a near fatal incident to make our streets safer and to protect our communities. >> while he has always been a fierce crime fighter, derrick lu is humble and understated,

never seeking credit or attention for his work. as an investigator he was laser focused putting together cases like complex puzzles to hold criminals accountable and to make our streets safer. i got to see this talent when derrick liu was promoted to commander where he oversaw our efforts to combat the drug crisis. he spearheaded our demak deployment and oversaw its expansion into the mission district. he understands how urgent this effort is. >> and as chief he will be relentless in going after drug dealers and cleaning up our streets. when i promoted or when he promoted to deputy chief this year he immediately excelled in running the entire field operations bureau. one of the most complex assignment in the san francisco police department i have the utmost confidence in incoming chief wu. and i'm proud to have worked

alongside him for all these years. >> when mira lurie appointed me as interim chief i said to work rebuilding speed's leadership to bridge to the department into the next generation. chief liu represents the future of this department and the future is bright going forward . >> i will work closely with him as he takes the helm as chief. on december 22nd i plan to stay on board as an adviser under liu's leadership over the next few months to ensure we continue to build on the successes over this past year. i'm looking forward to the coming months and years as san francisco continues to rise. and i'm confident public safety will flourish under chief liu's leadership. >> thank you. and now it's my pleasure to introduce a friend and community leader rex tibor

. >> thank you. it's a great day in the community and it's a great day for the city and county of san francisco. like chief paul? yep. i'll want to thank the mayor for building a dream team. thank you. and you delivered on your promise for public safety. but it's not about you today. it's about my good friend dee lou. don't worry. i'll keep it rated pg. thank you. i've had a chance to work with derek lou when he was captain at ingleside police station and a mutual friend had introduced us and i was a little upset because we had a captain for only ten months not even a full year. and i said you're bringing in a new guy here with really no experience in this community. not knowing his background yet

because i was just reacting. he told me to give him a chance and that's the same guy that said you need to give this guy a chance because he's one of a superstar. he will be your chief one day and wow, derek lou has been an amazing partner in this station valley. he always checked in with in this valley. we have some of the roughest areas in the city. he's always checking on us up in sunnydale on the bottom, constantly communicating with us. so congratulations, chief lou. i look forward to many more years in working with your department. >> rex is right. it's not about me. it's about our new chief of

police, derek lou. >> good morning and thank you so much to everyone joining us today. i want to start out by thanking mayor lurie for this tremendous honor and for trusting me to lead a department that i love in the city that i was born and raised in and have dedicated over 22 years of service to. it is truly the honor of a lifetime and i'm thrilled to lead a department that is the gold standard in policing a place where our officers are proud to work and ultimately to ensure san francisco is the safest city in america. as the grandson of chinese immigrants who are able to start and run a successful small business and send their children to top schools and in essence achieve the american dream, i have always felt a deep gratitude to the city of san francisco.

the city provided opportunities for my grandparents to overcome language and cultural barriers and to make great lives for their children. i was a direct beneficiary of this opportunity. i loved growing up in san francisco and though i usually manage to avoid the attention of other pd officers i always admired them for their dedication and selflessness. >> i decided to join these ranks myself because i've always believed in accountability and that by holding those engaging in criminal activity accountable we ultimately deter crime and restore justice for victims. i want to thank interim chief paul yap who promoted me to deputy chief and who has been a mentor and friend. he has done incredible work over these past few months to set up this department and this city for its success. we are more efficient and we can deliver on our core values of public safety because of the changes he instituted and the

leadership he provided. thank you to our public safety partners sheriff paul miyamoto, district attorney brook jenkins ,fire chief dean chrisman and department of emergency management director mary ellen carroll. we have already been working closely together and i look forward to continuing these valuable partnerships throughout my career. i have had the good fortune to work in dynamic environments and where strong teamwork has led to tremendous results. >> that continues to be true today. >> lastly and most importantly i want to thank the men and women of the san francisco police department. our officers are the reason san francisco is experiencing this exciting comeback. i know the sacrifice and hardships you endure for this profession. i know the risks you take including risking your lives to protect this city and i know that it is difficult and often thankless work. i've gotten to know many of you

while serving side by side with you over the years going through some of the best and most harrowing moments of our lives together. as i promoted through the ranks i have never forgotten your commitment to the calling and the sacrifices you make every day. i am truly amazed by the number of hard working crime fighters who are out there every day making arrests and taking dangerous individuals off the street. you are an inspiration and truly protectors of this city. as your chief i will fight for you and work to get more officers into this department with the urgency this moment demands. >> as i said, i have served as a pd for over two decades and i wouldn't want to work anywhere else. growing up in san francisco i had no idea my career would lead me to this moment. i went to see ignatius college prep go karts big game tomorrow

. later graduated from boston university and embarked on a career in finance. several years later though wanting to serve the san francisco community, i answered the call and made one of the most meaningful decisions of my life. joining the cpd to any potential recruits out there do not hesitate. you won't regret this decision. i promise. >> as a patrol officer i served the ingleside bayview and mission stations. my career was greatly shaped by the murder of isaac espinosa and i would later go on to assignments at units that dedicated their time to getting illegal firearms off the street and stopping the retaliatory violence that devastates our communities. i understand the impact gun violence has on families. and as chief i will ensure we continue the progress we've made in reducing homicides and protecting our most vulnerable communities. i know firsthand that in order to keep our safe street i'm

sorry our streets safe. we must hold those accountable who harm our communities. >> during my assignment as captain of ingleside station i worked closely with our residents and businesses building lifelong relationships. this experience underscored what every cop standing here knows. we need more officers in this department walking the beat protecting our businesses and residents to ensure we have a safe and thriving city. before becoming deputy chief i was the commander in charge of the drug market agency coordination center responsible for attacking the drug crisis that ballooned out of control during the pandemic, addressing the drug crisis and improving conditions on our streets is not up for debate. we will continue this work. we will build on our progress and we will ensure our streets are clean and safe for everyone . if there's one thing that i've learned from my time enforcing

against the drug markets it's that we can't do it alone. our partnerships as a city make us stronger. and i can say this honestly there has been no time in my career that i've seen a city along with our state and federal partners working more closely together than right now in san francisco. we have work to do. what we're also seeing the fruits of our labor. crime is down. more recruits are in the academy now than any time since the pandemic. we're using technology to take this department into the future and to solve some of the city's most challenging crimes. i truly believe we are entering a golden era in san francisco and i have no doubt that the speed will continue this momentum into the new year and beyond. and again to mayor lurie fellows, san franciscans and the men and women of the san francisco san francisco police department. >> i am sincerely and incredibly humbled to have been named your chief of police

and promised to do everything in my power to do right by you. thank you. >> we're going to do one group photo. everybody we're going to look right here in the middle. >> it's the new chief mayor, the podium and press. we got michael look right here in the middle

>> my name is carmen, the owner of the bakery in san francisco on 24 and mission. the bakery, usually typical mexican bread, sweetbread that is popular for the kids, for the families. big families. a lot of croissants. we have recipes from central

america-we are trying to keep up with the customers and neighbors. i bought it in 1993, so i was--i knew from my dad. for many years i grew up with the knowledge. now i know a little more. [music]